A measurement is presented of the inclusive production of charged $D^{*}$ and neutral $D$ mesons from nonresonant $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ annihilation in the energy region near the $\Upsilon \mathrm{}\left(4S\right)\mathrm{}$ resonance. The momentum distribution shows a large contribution at high momenta as expected for heavy quark production. Comparison of the spectrum with several phenomenological models is made. The relative yields of the $D^{*}$ and $D$ mesons indicate that the charm cross section is dominated by the $D^{*}$ contribution.

• Received 21 July 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.51.1139